After the game, Kessel was limping noticeably as he walked down the Air Canada Center hallway to the in-house x-ray room.

“If you saw Saturday, Phil got hit on the inside of his (right) foot, but I expect him to be available (for Tuesday’s game),” Carlyle added.

With Van Riemsdyk and Gunnarsson, Carlyle said “players are dealing with (aches and pains) at this time of year, so take a day off today and be ready for the game.”

Carlyle adjusted his lines for the practice, essentially making his second line the top line. That meant Nazem Kadri, Joffrey Lupul, and Mason Raymond wore the white jerseys normally reserved for the top line.

Tyler Bozak, the top-line centre, practiced with Jerry D’Amigo and Troy Bodie. Dave Bolland’s line with Nik Kulemin and David Clarkson was intact, but the fourth line had only two occupants: Jay McClement; and Colton Orr.

Kadri spoke to reporters in the post practice dressing room, and said among other things that the Leafs “could probably afford to lose one more game” among the six they have left.

It was a passing comment, but it drew a lot of heat on Twitter and elsewhere when it was popped up on social media.

Carlyle, meanwhile, told his troops to lighten up amidst the bleak and almost hopeless situation his club finds itself in after an eight-game losing streak.

The coach noticed there was no music on in the pre-practice dressing room; normally, the music system would be blaring tunes “that would blow you out of the building,” Carlyle said.

Carlyle opened practice with a game of shinny featuring two orange ball hockey balls, something he’s done previously this season to lighten the mood.

Toronto faces Calgary Tuesday then the Bruins Thursday. They close out their regular season home schedule Saturday against Winnipeg, then finish the regular season out with three road games.

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